The holidays are nearly here, and we are counting down before the big day finally arrives! If you’re looking to give the gift of experience, we have an idea for everyone on your list.
If you’re seeking something relaxing, gift your loved one serenity so they can luxuriate in candlelit thermal baths, enjoy soothing wellness rituals, and experience blissful massages at AIRE Ancient Baths. Alternatively, spend an evening listening to your favorite tunes performed by a string quartet at a historic venue with hundreds of flickering candles for the ultimate date night. If you have a Disney™-obsessed loved one, there’s a magical experience taking over 20,000 square feet to see the ‘Crown Jewels’ of The Walt Disney Archives. This includes over 250 works of art, artifacts, costumes, props and other memorabilia. Find the ideal experiential option with our full list of experience gifts!
1. Disney100: The Exhibit
Experience Disney’s magic this month! An enchanting exhibition with over 250 treasures from The Walt Disney Company is now open in Chicago, so planning your adventure is a must! Taking over more than 20,000 square feet of space at the Exhibition Hub Art Center Chicago at 2367 W. Logan Boulevard this fall, Disney100: The Exhibition will delight Disney lovers of all ages! Fans will be able to see the ‘Crown Jewels’ of the Walt Disney Archives, including works of art, artifacts, costumes, props and other memorabilia.
The entire family will want to put on those iconic mouse ears at this breathtaking exhibit dedicated to the magic of Disney this November! Dive deeper into some of your favorite Disney films at Disney100: The Exhibition, from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) to Encanto (2021), as well as the latest members of the Disney family, including Pixar, Star Wars, and MARVEL.
✨🏰 Read all about it and grab your tickets here!
📍Location: Exhibition Hub Art Center Chicago at 2367 W. Logan Boulevard
2. Give the gift of relaxation at the luxurious AIRE Ancient Baths this season
The perfect gift awaits at AIRE Ancient Baths, located in River West. This serene oasis is the go-to destination for the ultimate mind and body rejuvenation experience this holiday season! Nestled in a candlelit 1902 former factory just minutes from the West Loop, Aire Ancient Baths draws inspiration from ancient civilizations. It’s a divine experience and an ideal gift for anyone on your list in need of a wellness retreat without leaving the city. Visitors embark on a personalized journey through seven thermal baths at varying temperatures, aromatherapy steam rooms, and indulgent massages for complete relaxation.
AIRE Ancient Baths goes beyond the ordinary, offering the perfect holiday wellness gifts for an unparalleled relaxation experience. Enjoy the romantic Love Connection Ritual, a couples massage with basalt stones and refreshing fruit juices, or the Holistic Ritual, featuring body exfoliation, a relaxing massage, and a rejuvenating hair treatment. Delve into opulence with the Signature Wine Experience, where guests can soak in an antioxidant-rich wine bath sourced from Spanish Ribera del Duero red grapes, accompanied by full-body and cranial massages. Just in time for the holidays, take part in their digital advent calendar full of surprises.
Indulge in serenity at AIRE Ancient Baths in Chicago this holiday season! Choose AIRE Gift Boxes, which come in a sleek black box for home delivery or a personalized virtual format. Treat your loved ones to candlelit thermal baths, soothing wellness rituals, and blissful massages—an ideal escape.
Learn more about AIRE Ancient Baths, and follow them on Instagram and Facebook!
📍Location: 800 W. Superior Street, Chicago, IL 60642
3-6. Candlelight Concerts
This winter, the beloved concert series known simply as “Candlelight” invites everyone to relive top musicians’ most outstanding musical works in an incredibly unique atmosphere with hundreds of flickering candles for the ultimate date night. Candlelight Concerts have had enormous success worldwide—in cities like Paris, Barcelona, New York, and of course, right here in Chicago, and Oak Park, at some of the most breathtaking venues.
📍Multiple locations
See the full list of Candlelight Concerts here!7. Experience one-of-a-kind, three-dimensional works of art at Perceptual Shift
Witness the largest single collection of Murphy’s creations in Chicago at ‘Perceptual Experience: The Art Exhibition’ through Jan. 28th at The Shops at North Bridge, 540 N. Michigan Avenue. It’ll wow you… 🪩👟
Murphy’s profound work spans a wide spectrum of topics, from enchanting and whimsical pieces like the luminous ‘Electric Butterfly’ and crowd-pleaser ‘Wow,’ a fan favorite to photograph, to addressing pressing topics such as war and immigration with thought-provoking works such as ‘No War.’ On entry, Chicagoans are challenged to identify the 80 city icons that make up his newest work dedicated to the city.
8. Verse: The Art of the Future
Featuring augmented reality holograms and artwork by top-selling artists from the burgeoning world of NFTs, Verse: The Art of the Future has finally arrived in Chicago, taking place at Navy Pier until December 13th. Explore today’s art through tomorrow’s lens — and for the holidays, guests will experience art like they’re in it! So, if you want to bring some futuristic magic to your world this season, don’t miss this exhibit!
📍Location: Navy Pier, entrance 2, second floor
Get tickets here.9. Dining in the Dark With Wine Pairing: A Unique Blindfolded Dining Experience
On December 17, engage your taste buds as you indulge in a delicious three-course meal at the exclusive ‘Dining in The Dark’ dinner party coming to Chicago. Take your date night to the next level, tempting your senses with dark surroundings to focus on more important things like the delicious three-course meal and wine pairing you’re about to have at Hubbard Inn. Diners can choose vegan, seafood, or red meat options, enjoying a starter, main entree, and dessert.
📍Location: Hubbard Inn, 110 W. Hubbard Street, Chicago, IL 60654
Don’t wait — Limited tickets are available this month!
10. Immersive Live Jazz & Dinner for Two
Indulge in the Immersive Live Jazz & Dinner for Two with bohemian Parisian influences, and make your way to a cobblestone street in the Rogers Park neighborhood to Le Piano. Not only will you delight in an intimate setting with talented musicians playing before your eyes, but the ticket also features a delicious dinner comprising an appetizer, main course, and dessert, along with two hand-crafted cocktails.
📍Location: Le Piano, 6970 N Glenwood, 60626
Snag tickets for a Parisian experience in Chicago now!
11. Chicago’s Best Stand Up at Laugh Factory Chicago
If you want to fill your Christmas season with belly laughs or give the gift of laughter (because who wouldn’t want that?!), be sure to pay a visit to Chicago’s Best Stand Up at Laugh Factory Chicago.
At Laugh Factory Chicago, you’ll enjoy some of the biggest names in local comedy through December, so don’t miss out!
📍Location: Laugh Factory Chicago, 3175 N Broadway, 60657
12. AMC – Black Ticket
Movie theater tickets are always a great gift idea! Impress your loved ones with an AMC Black Ticket so they can enjoy their favorite film on the big screen while sitting in comfy recliners and indulging in delicious popcorn.
📍Locations: Participating at the following AMC Theatres® locations in Chicago, including, AMC Randhurst 12 Movie Theatre, AMC River East 21 Movie Theatre, AMC Norridge 6 Movie Theatre, AMC Evanston 12 Movie Theatre… and many more!
13. Give the gift of choice with a Fever Gift Card
With so many fabulous experiences in Chicago, from the world premiere of Harry Potter™: Magic at Play to a romantic Jazz dinner for two at Le Piano, why not let your friends and family choose what they would like to do! Select a Fever gift card (beginning at $25), and look through endless events happening in Chicago.
Looking for more experiences? Check out this full list!